The present invention relates to a method for transmitting specific information between a controlling network element and a mobile station via a service center in a communication network and also to corresponding devices and/or a corresponding system. In particular, the present invention is directed to such a method and corresponding devices as well as a system applicable in an intelligent network
In the last years, telecommunication system and in particular mobile telecommunication systems such as GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) and the like became widely spread all over the world. Due to an increasing competition between network operators the offering of additional services besides the initial object of transmitting speech becomes more and more important.
Recently, a more flexible telecommunication network architecture has been developed, namely the intelligent network (IN). One example of such an intelligent network is CAMEL (Customised Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic) which is accommodated to the GSM system. The aim of such intelligent networks is for example to enable the creation of customised services that could be used by roaming subscribers. Furthermore, the introduction of new services in telecommunication networks shall be facilitated. The central authority in such an intelligent network is a so-called service control point (SCP) which controls distinct calls.
One example for an additional service is a so-called Localized GSM service. Here, one or more Localized Service Areas (LSA) such as a home area are predefined for a subscriber of the mobile telecommunication system. In such an area costs for outgoing (and/or incoming) calls may be set lower (reduced rate) than in other areas (normal rate) for the corresponding subscriber. It is necessary to send specific information, i.e. Localized Service Area information, from the network to a terminal device to be used in the telecommunication network, such as a mobile station, used by the subscriber. In this way it is for example possible to inform the subscriber about his or her presence or absence in his or her localized service area. Said specific information may be stored in the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card of the subscriber. It is to be noted that the SCP sends the LSA information only when the information is changed in the databases of the intelligent network, not at every location update.
Another example of such a service is e.g. a prepaid SIM service in which calls are paid beforehand by the subscriber. In this case, specific information, such as credit information, is sent from the network to the mobile station of the subscriber, for example, to inform him or her about a call end or the like. This offers the possibility for said subscriber to be informed all the time about his or her actual credit information.
In mobile telecommunication systems, for communication between the different network elements, such as a mobile switching center (MSC), a home location register (HLR) but also a service control point SCP as a controlling network element of an intelligent network IN and the like, for example so-called Mobile Application Part (MAP) services are used. Such MAP services enable to transfer data such as cellular subscriber information such as mobile identification number (MIN) information and the serial number of the radio signal itself, as well as service information and the like between the network elements (for example between a SCP and a MSC or a HLR) by using a MAP protocol which includes several parameters or primitives.
A short message service (SMS) for transferring text messages is one example for a service which uses MAP services for transmitting data. It is for example commonly known to send short messages between two subscribers. It is also possible that a Voice Mailbox system could use short messages to indicate the presence of a recorded voice message to a subscriber. The SMS could need a short message service center for managing and controlling the transfer of such a short message.
However, services like the above described Localized GSM service or the prepaid SIM service require a data transfer, e.g. of user and/or service data and the specific information itself, between the mobile station (subscriber) and the corresponding controlling network element providing said services, for example a Service Control Point (SCP) of an intelligent network. In some cases it is necessary not only to provide for example a text message directly to the subscriber e.g. by a display in the mobile station, but also to store said specific information in the Subscriber Identity Module SIM for further processing and/or later display. Furthermore, especially in the case of credit information, it is necessary to provide a high level of reliability and security.
Document WO 98/25426 describes a call setup process which allows a mobile terminal to use services of an intelligent network. For the communication between a SCP and a mobile terminal, e.g. for the transmission of network specific information, unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) are used.
Also document DE 197 17 588 A1 describes the usage of USSD for the transmission of data to a mobile station.
Documents WO 98/56202, WO 95/12933, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,419 describe a usage of short messages in transmissions between cellular network elements and mobile terminals.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for transmitting service specific information between a controlling network element and a terminal device via a service center, and to provide corresponding devices and a corresponding system which enable a transfer of said service specific information.
According to the present invention, there is proposed a method for transmitting user specific data and network specific information between a service control point of an intelligent network and a terminal device in a mobile communication network via a short message service center of said mobile communication network, said method comprising the steps of transmitting said user specific data and network specific information between said service control point and said short message service center via a first mobile application part protocol based communication connection by using a short message service interworking functionality; and forwarding at least said network specific information from said short message service center to said terminal device by using a short message service gateway functionality.
Furthermore, the present invention proposes device located in a service control point of an intelligent network in a mobile communication network, said device comprising transceiver means for transmitting user specific data and network specific information between said service control point and a short message service center via a mobile application part protocol based communication connection by using a short message service interworking functionality.
Furthermore, the present invention proposes a device located in a short message service center of a communication network, said device comprising transceiver means for transmitting user specific data and network specific information between a service control point of an intelligent network and said short message service center via a mobile application part protocol based communication connection by using a short message service interworking functionality.
Moreover, the present invention proposes a system comprising a first device located in a service control point of an intelligent network in a mobile communication network, said first device comprising transceiver means for transmitting user specific data and network specific information between said service control point and a short message service center via a mobile application part protocol based communication connection by using an short message service interworking functionality, and a second device located in a short message service center of a mobile communication network, said second device comprising transceiver means for transmitting user specific data and network specific information between said service control point and a short message service center via a mobile application part protocol based communication connection by using a short message service interworking functionality.
Advantageous further developments of the present invention are as set out in the respective dependent claims.
According to the present invention, the proposed method and/or device and/or system allow a reliable transfer of service specific information between a service control point SCP and a mobile station by using short message service via a short message service center SMSC in a service bound sending. They are easy to implement since only minor changes in recent network structures and elements are required.
Moreover, the usage of MAP protocol guarantees a high compatibility for different kinds of SMSCs. The service specific information in the form of short messages can for example be stored for a further processing on the SIM card.
Furthermore, by using an advantageous aspect of the present invention, it is possible to confirm the outcome of the service specific information such as a short message from the service center to the mobile station by notifying the controlling network element.
Additionally, the present invention can easily be specified for different implementations. For example, it is possible to set, whether confirmation for an outgoing short message to the mobile station is required or not. This can also be decided depending on a type of the MAP indicated by the version number used by one of the communicating partners. As a confirmation, a status report of the SMSC to the SCP may be used, wherein routing information used for said status report can be requested by the service control point itself or by a home location register HLR.
Furthermore, both the SCP and the SMSC can cancel the communication connection. This is the case, for example, due to an error. It is to be noted, that with the present invention implemented the service control point SCP is handled like a mobile station/subscriber and works as if it is a short message service center SMSC.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described herein below in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.